


a trip to the sea

by dinosaurspaceship



Category: Succession (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:47:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25251130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinosaurspaceship/pseuds/dinosaurspaceship
Summary: Roman crashes the Kellman's family vacation.
Relationships: Gerri Kellman/Roman "Romulus" Roy
Comments: 36
Kudos: 83





	1. Chapter 1

He knocks on the door, tap tap, tap tap tap. It's a little before seven, typically she'd be at or on her way to the office by now, but he hasn't seen her Waystar-Roy email online yet this morning.  
He knocks again, impatient but also, it's something to do with his hands. Maybe this was a bad idea. He thinks about calling or leaving, weighing his options. The first feels a little desperate, he's always calling her, always the one to reach out, but never like this, never in front of her front door. But if he leaves, he's not sure where he'd go. The office? Just sit there twiddling his thumbs, looking at bullshit emails about park improvements to boost sales or to appease the stockholders, that's not what he wants at this moment. 

He hasn't slept yet, he's calmer than he was last night when she ignored his call. Well, calls, there were a couple over the course of a few hours. He's got a coffee in hand which is keeping him awake, but adding to his nervous jitters. He clenches his empty hand into a fist and knocks again. Just open the fucking door.

After a few more seconds his wish is granted, the door opens, but it's not Gerri behind it. Well fuck. 

"Roman?" she says, equal parts question and surprise. 

"Ummm. Hi. Yeah. Is Gerri here?" trying to see behind this person into the apartment. Mild panic set in, he's positive this is one of Gerri's daughters, he doesn't know which, doesn't know either of their names. 

"No, she left for Narragansett yesterday. You can come in" she steps aside and lets him into the foyer of the apartment. 

He realizes he has been here before, can't remember why or when, but there is a familiarity to the place. "I wanted to follow up with her about business stuff, didn't get an answer, was in the neighborhood, thought I might catch her and offer a ride to the office" He feels heat rise up his neck and he's blinking more than he needs to. 

A smirk, reminiscent of her mothers grows on her face. "The Roys, always trying to ruin Kellman vacations. We're spending the weekend as a family at the Rhode Island house." As she's talking she moves out of the foyer towards the kitchen. Roman notices there are two large bags on the ground, ones fairly empty, unzipped, figures she's in the process of packing. He follows her into the kitchen, everything is very orderly, clean, he wonders if Gerri can cook and how often she uses this space. 

Anne. He thinks her name is Anne. He remembers Frank leaving LA a few years back for Gerri's daughter Anne's graduation. He ended up trying to buy the rights to a horror franchise while he was gone. It was admittedly not his best work. 

"Do you want anything?" She has the fridge open and has a pitcher of water in her hands.  
He holds up the coffee. "I'm good." He hesitates, taking a step back, "I should fuck off," moving back towards the front door. "It was good seeing you Anne." 

"I'm Eleanor. Ellie. Anne's the other one." There is a bit of laughter in her voice, like he's just met her very low expectations. She smiles more readily than her icy bitch of a mother. 

"Ellie" he says the name out loud as if he's trying to conjure any memory of her.  
Before he can not apologize, she says, "I guess we have that in common, second of mind in the family. Well maybe it’s third in your case?" 

Good to see all the Kellman women have that killer instinct, going straight to the jugular. He fakes a smile, tosses back a laugh, “Har-de-har. I’ll really fuck off now, have a swell time at your family circle jerk.” He turns back around and heads to the door. 

“Roman! Just joking, you’re definitely better than Shiv. If you wait like 2 minutes, you could help me carry a bag down stairs and I wont tell anyone you’re fucking my mom.” she yells for the other room, stopping him in his tracks. She’s come around the corner, caught him, deer in headlights. 

“Fuck you, Gerri? Me fucking Gerri? Yeah cause what I have is some sick fucking geriatric kink.”

“Well that was intended to be a joke, Jesus Christ mom.”

“Oh yeah, me and your mom, totally fucking. All day all night, like fucking like animals every inch of this place. Sex city. She wishes.” trying his best to recover as quickly as possible, leaning into the absurd, edging up the stakes, he’ll get out of this.

“Stop fucking talking! You’re such a dick. It is 7 am and you are clearly wired, yet sober, showing up empty-handed at my moms doorstep “to talk business.” You look like you’re gonna puke.” She just stares at him for a moment, then turns back into the kitchen. Roman’s remains frozen in place.

She’s back in a second, carrying a couple of things including a bottle of whiskey which she stuffs in the open bag. She zips it up and points to it, grabbing the other and walking towards the door. He grabs the bag and follows her, not knowing what else to do. The ride to the garage in the elevator is silent, he opens his mouth to say something, but she gives him a look that shuts him up, just like her mother. Roman follows her to what he presumes is her car, an Outback with Illinois plates. He follows her lead, putting the bag in the trunk, stands back up straight, every intention of getting out of this interaction as soon as possible. 

When she closes the trunk and looks at him, she’s got a look on her face that he knows she learned from Gerri. “Come with me. What were you gonna do this weekend, watch your shitty football team lose? If you hate it, or she doesn’t want you there, I’m sure there’s a million helipads, rich boy like you, just fly yourself home.”

“Umm, no thank you, be trapped in a car with you for 7 hours, to crash your dumb girls weekend? I’d rather get fed to a pride of lions, slathered in steak sauce and gazelle jizz, leave me in the desert to die.”

“Quite the image. You had important business right? She’s not allowed to answer her phone this weekend, family rules. Plus, Anne is bringing her new beau, introducing him to the family and all that. Wouldn’t it be fun, Mom could do the same, with you.”

“It’s a 3-4 hour drive, I have car snacks, you’ll hate them. We can catch up. If you hate it, want to leave, ” She shrugs, leaves it open to him, but walks towards the drivers side door. 

“Fuck it.” he gets in the car. Texts his driver, he won't be needing a ride to the office any longer.

He lasts 10 minutes, before realizing this he’s made a terrible mistake. There is no way she will be happy or okay with him showing up on a family vacation. No invite, not even a warning, he thinks about texting her. “Hi, was at your house for no reason in particular, met Eleanor, she somehow guessed something was going on, so now I’m coming to Rhode Island with her.” or maybe “your daughters kidnapped me, see you soon.” 

Ellie has her phone plugged in playing music, so far it’s just been one insufferably long LCD Soundsystem song. He may kill himself before this is over. Just open the door, roll out onto the highway, let the oncoming traffic make him into a painting on the pavement. He decides to fuck with his phone. 

20 minutes of silence, nothing better to do but scan twitter and answer some “urgent” work emails. He glances over at her every so often. 

“I think the last time I saw you, the whole Roy clan actually, was Shiv’s college graduation.” 

“Ok?” he’s not particularly interested in wherever this is going. 

“Yeah, I sat between Kendall and Anne. Within the first 10 minutes, I’m pretty sure Ken offered me coke. If not coke, some upper.” 

“Sounds like Ken.” 

“I was 16. Anne heard, told Mom, we weren’t ever brought to another Roy family event.” 

“Lucky you.” he turns his body as much as he can to look out the window.

They fall back into silence. Roman is starting to get a stomachache. It’s another 15 minutes before Ellie tries again. 

“This is Mom’s favorite song.” 

Roman listens for a second, trying to recognize it, but he's at a loss. 

_So long honey, babe  
Where I'm bound, I can't tell  
Goodbye's too good a word, babe  
So I'll just say fare thee well  
I ain't saying you treated me unkind  
You could have done better but I don't mind  
You just kinda wasted my precious time  
But don't think twice, it's all right_

“I asked her once why, thought it might be because it’s just a shitty man showing his ass in the most beautiful way. She said, she likes the harmonica and the way he says babe.”

Roman smiles at that. Maybe he’d learn harmonica. He obviously wouldn’t, but it’s a nice thought. He wonders what other music she likes, thinks about how little he knows about her. He didn’t know Eleanor’s name before this morning. She has a picture of Ellie and Anne on her desk, he’s never given her family a passing thought.

“Is she a good mom?” he doesn’t realize he’s saying it until it’s out of his mouth.

Ellie tilts her head, considering the question, “Yeah… yeah, she was a good mom. I mean don’t get me wrong, we were never her number one priority, it was the same with dad, but we were loved and they showed up when it mattered. It’s hard to compete, as a kid, with million dollar deals and some imminent crisis. But we knew, at least I knew, we weren’t going to be what their life’s work amounted to. They gave us the best education they could, showed us the world, taught us how to be independent. We were never for want.” She sighs, “How about yours?” 

“Nope.”

He finds an app where you just pop balloons. It entertains him for a couple minutes. His discomfort increases. He rests his head against the window, looking for a little bit of rest.  
He wakes up to a tap on the window. He looks up to see Ellie's face on the other side of the glass. 

“Can you finish this up, I gotta pee.” she points to the gas pump behind her before bounding towards the building behind them. 

Roman gets out of the car, realizing he’s never had to pump his own gas. It’s just never come up. He’s either always been driven, or the car was a fueled rental, or someone else has done it. The pump clicks, the numbers stop. He watches the neighboring car as they put the handle back on the pump, and returns the cap to the tank. Simple, he can follow simple processes, he’s not completely worthless. Grabbing the keys from the ignition, he locks the car and walks into the gas station. 

Ellie finds him with an energy drink in hand, staring at a gallon of milk. “You want that?” gesturing to the milk, the stupid Kellman smirk on her face. 

“$3.10 price of a gallon of milk.”

“We’ll it fluctuates, but sure, $3.10.” She grabs the drink from his hand and heads to the cashier. 

“If fluctuates,” he mocks, “yeah I fucking know how prices work thank you. And I can buy that for myself.”

“Calm down, my trust fund maybe considerably smaller than yours, but I think I can buy you a RockStar, without expectation of repayment.” 

Ellie grabs a sweatshirt from the backseat, pulls if on before getting back into the drivers seat. They get back on the road. 

“We’re almost through Connecticut.” 

“How much longer?”

“Maybe an hour depending on traffic”

Roman notices the sweatshirt she has on, deep red emblazoned with “HARVARD”. Ken used to have a similar one. “Harvard, your parents must be so proud.” he doesn’t try to hide the resentment in his voice.

“It’s Annes. And Mom was very proud of her. Couldn’t have Logan being the only proud Harvard parent”

“Hopefully she got more out of it than he did, coke problem and cokehead friends.” 

“I’m fairly certain the only thing anyone leaves Harvard with is the ability to tell people they went to Harvard.” 

It’s kind of nice to hear other people have sibling issues. “What unworthy establishment did you attend?” he’s genuinely curious which surprises him. 

“Stanford, then University of Chicago Law.” 

There isn’t the pride in her voice the way he would expect from the declaration.

“Didn’t really like California much, too bright. Chicago fits me fine.” 

Ellie’s phone buzzes, “Anne and Tristan have arrived,” she announces. The way she says Tristan makes him smile. 

“Tristan,” he repeats in the same tone, “what the fuck’s up with that?”

“If you had a consequence free, all your weight behind it, punch to the face, of anyone in the world, who would it be?”

His first thought is Kendall, and then his Dad, Tom maybe, Tom and Greg together possibly. Himself? “Frank”

“FRANK VERNON? Geez, I thought you’d say your brother, how could you want to punch Frank. He’s like, a blah person, give me a million tries, would not have thought of nice, old, dependable Frank.”

“I’m guessing yours is Tristan?” He says trying to move the conversation along.

“Not specifically Tristan but like the idea of Tristan, his essence.”

“Gonna need examples of his essence, to properly assess if he’s as punchable as Frank.”

“He’s rude to waiters, like un-necessarily, unreasonably rude.”

Roman is certain the same thing could be said about him. He remembers Greg saying, “You’re widely known as a horrible person.”

“He’s got weird hair, and I fully understand that looks shouldn’t be used against him, but it’s weird, like he gets a swirly every morning and then pours on some dollar store gel.”

He has to laugh at that.

Her tone is lower now, an icy rage taking over, “He’s gonna cheat on her within the first year they're married. She’s not gonna figure it out until they’ve got 2 kids and sacrificed years of her career.”

Roman looks over at her, she’s wearing a frown that’s decidedly Gerri. He didn’t notice at first how much Ellie resembles her mom. Ellie’s hair is different, more like Shiv’s then Gerri’s blonde, it’s wavy and redder than yellow. Her face is similar though, same mouth, same structure, same blue eyes. Gerri must have been hot shit when she was younger, still is. When they were in the store, he noticed Ellie was the same height as him, a little taller than Gerri than. He can’t remember if Baird was tall. Their voices are different though, Ellie’s voice is nothing like Gerri’s, the voice on the other end of the phone he’s been obsessing over for months. The voice which is the only thing that can get him hard anymore.

“So no Tristan of your own then?” he says trying to pull his mind from clandestine calls. The last thing he needs is Eleanor telling her mother, “Roman got a chubby while staring at license plates.”

“I prefer being alone.”

“Okay sure, I prefer being alone too,” he says with a mocking tone as he pretends to jerk off an invisible cock. “But like no one actually prefers to be alone. That’s just a line for sad single people say when they don’t want to be shamed for being single. But it’s just a line, like you’d prefer to be getting laid and eating meals with someone, sharing and all the bullshit like that if you could.”

“Yeah? That’s what my mother offers you is it? Getting laid, sharing your feelings over meals, vacations and relaxing trips together?” It’s her turn now for the mocking. “Or is it more like, weird stolen moments, secrets, ignored texts, half empty beds and over-poured drinks?” she seems like she has more to say, like she’s not really talking about him, but some of it does apply.

He opens his mouth to respond, but she cuts him off. “No, I don’t… It’s her thing, it’s your thing, it’s private and I doubt anyone is supposed to know, let alone me. It’s a trust thing, don’t say anything about it, I don’t want to know.”

He puts his head against the window, his energy drink remains unopened in the cup holder, he thinks about cracking it. He’s getting a headache and is still pretty tired from last night. He closes his eyes instead, letting sleep overtake him.

He’s once again awoken to the sound of a car door shutting. He looks up to see a driveway with two other cars and a large, shingled, colonial style house. What the fuck has he done.


	2. Chapter 2

He sees Ellie down a path to what he assumes is the front door. He considers calling Gerri right now, like that might somehow make it better. He wishes he was awake for the last 10 minutes, he could have found a good excuse from having come. Checking his phone quickly for any emails marked urgent, while getting out of the car, but he comes up empty handed. He sprints after Ellie, not wanting to look like a lost puppy, just standing in the driveway with his dick in his hand. 

Ellie looks back at him when he’s caught up, a smile breaks over her face like she’s just remembered what she’s done. He closes his eyes, wishing the last 4 hours could be undone. Ellie opens the door, “Hello hello hello! Guess who’s arrived and brought a stray!” 

The fear sets in, Roman doesn’t try to take in his surroundings, his eyes can’t seem to focus on one thing, they just bounce around searching out for a predator. Noises to their left indicate someone is coming to greet them, well Ellie, no one knows he’s here yet. 

Anne, or at least he presumes it’s Anne, walks into the entryway, a smile plastered on. The smile falters a little as does her step when she notices him, more of a confused smile emerges. She engulfs her sister in a hug, she says “Good to see you!” and then whispers, not too quietly, “What the fuck is Roman Roy doing here?” 

The two sisters disentangle, Anne greets him with a nod, but makes no move to make contact. “Mom’s out back, Tristan went into town to grab some more things for lunch and dinner.” 

Ellie looks at him, some sympathy in her eyes. “Rome, will you help me with the bags from the car, get settled, wash up and then catch up with Mom.” She gestures to the front door. 

Roman doesn’t really have a choice and feels like that’s a better idea than any he has, all of which end in him running into the ocean. He follows her out the front door back to her car, “Rome?” 

“Well, I forgot that Anne might kind of hate you all, figured I’m the only friend you’re gonna have here so you are now my good friend Rome. Who I may have delivered to the slaughter.” She makes a face like she’s sorry but not really, as she grabs a bag and moves back towards the house. Roman reluctantly grabbed the other, not remembering the last time he had his own luggage let alone someone else's. When he enters the door he notices too late Ellie has stopped and dropped her bag. He barrels right into her. Recovering, taking a couple steps back and to the left he looks up to see what’s stopped her. There she is, standing where they left Anne, moving to embrace her youngest daughter, except she’s stopped too, having made eye contact with Roman. 

Her recovery is quick, she continues on, holds Ellie in her arms, truly whispers something in her ear. Gerri pulls back and grabs Ellie’s face, looks into her eyes, “Go clean up, I’ll talk to you later.” 

Ellie turns to him, kisses him on the cheek, mouths “good luck” and grabs the handle of the duffel he’s holding from him. Looks like she could carry both of them after all. What trouble she could have spared them all if he had let her initially. 

When he looks back at Gerri she has her arms crossed and she’s watching her daughter lug her bags across the room. They don’t speak until they're alone. The ice in her eyes is telling him, he may have crossed a line by showing up here. He expected that. He knows better than to speak first, but she isn’t saying anything. The silence is making him fidget, making him feel weak, vulnerable, very aware they are for the first time ever, on her home turf. 

She takes a breath, “Imagine my surprise when Anne comes to tell me, Eleanor has arrived, with Roman Roy, who she presumes is Eleanor's new boyfriend. And here you are, in my home, with my daughter, carrying a bag, which I’ve never seen you do in your entire pitiful life.” 

“You weren’t answering your phone?” it’s more of a question than a statement, he sounds like a kid called before the teacher. 

“I told you three times last week, I was going to be out of touch this weekend, and yet somehow you end up here, on my doorstep, with my daughter?” 

He’s getting the sense she’s more upset about his presents with Eleanor, rather than his presence in total. “It was her idea?” He could be more convincing. 

“How so?”

“She said, why don’t you come to our family vacation, the Roys have ruined so many in the past, maybe why not this one too. And while your at it, keep on bangin my mom”

Gerri does a quick visual sweep of the room, checking if anyone else heard what he just said. She stepped closer to him, he felt the urge to step back but held strong in his place. 

“Roman, this isn’t a game, this is my family not yours, I’m not fucking around here, what are you doing here?” 

“I missed you.”

It seemed to shock her for a minute, “I missed you and I went to your apartment and obviously, I know now, you weren’t there, but Ellie was, and she sort of convinced me this was a good idea, which I’m realizing now, I may have taken advice from the wrong person on this matter, as I am prone to do.” 

They stare at each other for what feels like forever. Roman can’t tell if she’s going to allow him to stay, he doesn’t know if he wants to stay.

They can hear Ellie coming back down the stairs, Gerri steps away from him, anticipating her youngest daughters arrival. An un-Gerri like smile returns to her face as she greets Eleanor.   
“El, do you want to show Roman the guest room, give him a chance to freshen up, he looks like death.” With that she walks through a doorway to the back of the house. 

“Seems like that went well.” Ellie said, a spring in her step. “I’m just realizing now, you don’t have anything with you. Didn’t think about that earlier did I. Oh well. There’s a bathroom in the guest room if you want to, I don’t know splash some water on your face. You do look pretty rough.” 

She leads him up the stairs to the third floor and shows him to a room with deep navy walls. “I think we take it as a really good sign that she didn’t kick you out straight away.” She heads back downstairs and he is left alone. 

She’s right, he doesn’t have anything, not even a phone charger. He goes to the bathroom strips down and looks in the mirror. Admittedly, he looked tired, his skin felt too tight and too loose. He turns on the shower as hot as he can, and steps in. After about a minute he turns the temperature down and sits on the shower floor, pretends the water is just rain. He had a therapist once who told him he should try and “wash away” his anxieties. Take a shower or go swimming and let the water take away all the bad energy he was feeling. Bullshit then, bullshit now. He feels sorry for himself a little while longer, turns off the water, wallowing in the fact that he can’t even jerk off. He probably could if he tried, if he just thought of the look on her face earlier, thought about how close she was, the venom in her voice. 

He gets dressed and heads back downstairs, walks through the doorway he saw Gerri disappear earlier. He can hear Ellie and Anne fighting. He finds himself in a large dining room and kitchen space. The girls are all around a large table, picking at berries from bins. He’s not sure if he’s ever seen something so American, so wholesome. 

They all turn to look at him, in unison, Ellie is the lone smile of the three. She gestures for him to sit on the bench with her. He wonders if that’s a good idea, how that will look. He feels trapped, like no matter where he steps there’s a mine waiting to go off. 

“Come sit, mom was just telling the story of Anne learning to ride a bike on the old gravel driveway.” 

He sits down, grabs a few berries just to do something with his hands, and listens. He’s pretty sure this is the most he’s ever heard Gerri speak, well outside of their private conversations, but he’s certain this is the most he’s ever seen her smile. They all go around telling stories, Ellie seems to bring up ones to embarrass Anne and vice versa. There are times, he thinks, when him, Ken and Shiv are like this. The night before Shiv’s wedding maybe, smoking together. When dad isn’t around and there aren't any titles to fight over, no corporate maneuvering or gamesmanship. All of that feels so long ago. Kendall declaring war on Logan and Shiv and Tom being threatened and then iced out, did not make for one big happy family. 

“This is the most quiet I’ve ever seen you Roman. No stories to share?” Gerri is poking him, he’s not sure to what end. 

“Oh you’re probably more aware of my worst stories than anyone right, all the oppo-research and messes you’ve had to clean up over the years.” 

“Oh the Kellmans have plenty of Roy stories,” Anne adds. “Kendall wrecking a car on Ellie’s birthday, Logan restructuring Parks right before we were supposed to go to Europe, satellite explosions in Japan before Ellie’s graduation.” 

“First class tickets around the world on the company dime,” Roman wasn’t in the mood to just take hits for no reason. 

“Mom wouldn’t have come to Chicago anyway, it’s all too… Midwestern.” Ellie adds unhelpfully. 

Gerri, who was going to scold Roman is struck by her daughter, “Of course I would have come to Chicago.” 

“Sorry my family fucked up your lives, guess we have that in common… Oh look, the ocean, what a remarkable thing, I will just go spit in it, or whatever the fuck people do at the ocean.” He gets up and slips out the door towards the yard, the ocean in the distance. 

He lays down on the rocks that make up the shore, looking at his phone only to realize he has 22% battery left. He should probably save the juice to make sure he can call himself a ride when he inevitably gets kicked out. He should just leave, there is no reason for him to stay here, where he is clearly unwanted. But Gerri is smiling and happy and there was a split second earlier when he thought she might touch him. 

“You’re the ugliest beached whale Rhode Islands ever seen.” 

“Fuck you, I’m gorgeous,” he rolled over to face her. 

“You’re covered in pebbles and seaweed and you don’t have any spare clothes. But sure, gorgeous.” He stands up, brushing the sea waste off of his body, the best he can.

“I should leave,” it comes out more vulnerable than he intended but accurate to how he feels.

“Hmmmm,” she says, reaching up to pick a leaf out of his hair. 

“Or I could stay?” Her hand hasn’t left the side of his head, he thinks he might finally be reading her right.

“I can order clothes to be delivered to the house, so you’ll have something,” she looks at the state of him, “clean to wear tomorrow.” 

“O-fucking-kay. Let’s do this!” His enthusiasm earns her a smirk and for the first time since he knocked on her door this morning he feels okay. 

“There are going to be rules,” she says sternly, trying to reel him back in. 

“I love rules.”

“These are my rules Roman, intended to not be broken, if you ever want me to touch that embarrassment of a pencil between your legs ever again.” 

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Nothing, I mean nothing in front of my kids. You are here on business and maybe corporate bonding.”

“Nothing like don’t pull my dick out? Or Nothing like don’t even look at you?” 

“No jokes. No touching. Nothing.” 

“What if I just smell you, you know, in a creepy way, nothing to imply sexual relations, just real pervert like.”

“Roman.” 

It’s a warning. He raises his hands in surrender. “Nothing. Got it. Good. Like I’d try and do anything anyway, I mean hey, what am I supposed to do if Ellie sneaks into my room, or does nothing apply to her as well?”

“Roman.”

That one was a warning shot, the next one would be deadly. Choosing to back away safely, he just closes his eyes and nods his head, signalling his retreat.

“I’d say be on your best behavior if I thought it’d mean anything, but your best behavior is pulling down your pants and ejaculating on somebody else’s robe, so just don’t be your usual fuck up. Okay.” She starts to walk back towards the house. 

“Okay, but I’m pretty sure Ellie thinks something is up, because, earlier she asked if we were fucking, and I you know, didn’t maybe, handle it the best I could.”

She’s facing away from him, so he can’t see her face, but he sees her shoulders drop. “Well fuck.”

They decided the rules still apply, Gerri would work on convincing Eleanor she was mistaken in her belief they were together in some way. They headed back into the house, where Ellie and Anne were making salads for lunch. He realizes “being on his best behavior” means not throwing a tantrum about rabbit food. He eyes the whisky bottle on the bar across the room. Gerri must have caught his glance, as she heads towards the cabinet and pulls two glasses out, opens the bottle and pours a liberal serving. When she hands him the drink their fingers brush, a shiver runs down his spine, causing him to straighten up. 

“What do we got for grub?” he asks.

“Do not let him help, he has no skills, he will find a way to burn this house down.” Gerri says as she leaves the room. 

“Jokes on her, I have no intention of helping.” 

“Wanna put on a record? There’s a turntable over in the den.” Ellie asks, he knows when hes being told to fuck off. He wanders into the general area she indicates, finding a room with rich leather coaches, a fireplace, leather bound books, and in the corner a desk with a turntable and shelf of records. It feels like a test, he scans across the jackets, looking for names he's familiar with. The Beatles seems too hokey, The Stones like he’s a poser, there is a bunch of jazz, he’d rather smash this glass into his head and rub the shards in his ears than listen to jazz. He picks The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds mostly because he remembered one of the Vaulter fuckwits calling it “the most significant album of the 60-70’s.” 

When he is standing in Gerri’s kitchen, staring at her, while You Still Believe in Me comes on, he regrets not going with the Talking Head. No one has ever related to a Talking Heads song, well except maybe Psycho Killers. Before he could think about it more, there is a ruckus at the front door. 

Anne seems spurred into action, going to the front door, loudly professing her gratitude for the “hard work of this helpful man.” Roman watches Ellie making a jerk off motion, rolling her eyes. Her mother smacks her hand and proceeds to welcome Tristan into the kitchen. 

“Is there anything else in the car? Maybe Roman could help?” Ellie asks most unhelpfully. 

“Or Roman stays here and finishes his drink.” Roman said quietly into his glass.

Gerri snorts, she has somehow appeared next to him. “Looks like he’s got it all.” She turns to him, her mouth dangerously close to his ear, just like she does at work when passing along delicate information, “I ordered you some clothes, you're going to detest them.” The smile she's wearing when she backs up is assurance he will in fact hate what she has chosen to dress him in, but it maybe worth it. 

“You want me in then, might have to put me in them yourself.” he can feel his pants tightening. 

“More interesting to take you out of them, but should have known after the Hamptons you have a dress up fetish, pervert.” She moves away before he can get another retort. She’s too far away now, if he tried he'd break a rule, it seems too early into the trip for that. 

Everyone is in the kitchen now assessing Tristan’s treasure.It is the first real look at the man Roman gets. Yeah, seems pretty punchable. He wonders what Gerri thinks of this man for her first born. He wonders if Logan ever told Shiv what he really thought of Tom, or if Kendall ever got a dressing down about Rava. Caroline told him to marry Tabitha with one piece of scandalous information. There must be a more normal parental approach to potential life partners for their children. That train of thought ends with Logan finding out about him and Gerri, and his stomach ache comes back. 

Tristan is telling an insufferably banal story about the grocery store. He watches Gerri listen, never has he seen this woman give her precious time to such a waste of space. He feels compelled to contribute, provide some actual entertainment. He opens his mouth, but Gerri is faster and louder, “Drinks? Anybody up for a cocktail with lunch? Roman, you’re an alcoholic in all ways but legally required abstinence, make us martinis?” 

He huffs off, at least he was given a job he knows how to do. “Let me lend you a hand buddy. I’m well known for my killer martinis.” 

“Sounds like Tristan’s got it Ger! Should we ask him if he's an alcoholic too or?” That gets a laugh out of Ellie and a scowl from Anne. 

He walks over to Ellie’s side of the island. “Do you have a charger for this fucking thing?” he waves his phone. 

“Yeah, I should let me check. I’m assuming you need it now?” 

“No time like the miserable present.” 

She leads him upstairs, presumably to her bags, in her room. They’re on the second floor, before he can ask, “Anne and I are down here, well I guess Anne, Tristan and I are down here. You and mom are upstairs” He nods like it’s barely interesting, but thinks she deserves an inappropriately large stuffed animal delivered to her home. 

She hands him the charger, he gestures up the stairs, to say he’s going back up to his room to plug it in. The third floor hallway has 3 doors, he tries the one next to his, all he finds is linens. He opens the door across the hallway, it’s a bedroom, he sees Gerri’s usual case stowed away in the corner. The idea of jacking off on to her pillow crosses his mind briefly. Spotting her phone next to the bed gives him another idea, a nice portrait for her to find later, to savor. He creeps back across the hallway to plug in his phone. 

He spends about 30 minutes answering work emails, even has to make a call, but things seem relatively quiet. He plays the balloon game for another 10, and then heads back downstairs. 

Lunch is pretty uneventful, he was worried he’d have to sustain in salad, but lobster rolls made a surprise appearance. Tristan seems to dominate the conversation, another punchable offense. Ellie seems to be goading him, every story Tristan tells, she seems to have “a vague memory” of Roman doing something similar but more elaborate or scandalous. He enjoys regailing them with his youthful indiscretions but some part of him knows he’s the asshole or the punchline in every one. 

At some point Gerri’s hand ends up on his knee under the table. He steals a glance at her, her face is unreadable, so it’s not a warning. She’s actively touching him to show support, reassurance? That’s new. Interesting, very interesting.

After lunch, he’s pretty exhausted. Ellie suggests going for a run, Anne and Tristan are going to take a drive down the shore. Roman just wants a nap, but he says he’s going to make some calls. Gerri sees through him immediately, tapping on his door, which he left slightly ajar. 

“Roman Roy actively pursuing work, I had to see it for myself.” 

“Miracles happen.” He's on the bed, head propped up on a mountain of decorative pillows. He absently pats the empty space next to him, an invitation he doubts she’ll accept. She ducks her head out of the room, but returns shortly, phone in tow. Surprisingly she sits next to him, her shoulder just touching his. After a few silent minutes of replying to emails, Roman starts to really feel the day set in. 

“I’m doing my best to upset the stereotypes inherent to this relationship. I'm gonna need a nap.”

“Rest Roman, it’s fine.” But she doesn't move. He’s never slept with Gerri before, well he’s slept but she hasn’t.. She allowed him to nap on her couch on the yacht, after that terrible breakfast. Allowed him to rest his head on her lap, while she carded fingers through his hair, thanking him for having her back. They agreed to be a team going forward and honestly they’ve made a pretty good one. 

He eyes her chest, “Can I?” he asks softly, tired but hopeful.

“Okay,” she responded softly, focused still on her phone. Roman curled into her body, head resting on her shoulder and chest, knees brought up against her hip. She rests a hand on his head, softly petting him until he falls asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Roman wakes up alone. His phone tells him it’s around three. At the foot of the bed sits a folded pair of khakis and clean shirt. They fit perfectly, but of course they do, Gerri is excellent at everything she does. 

It seems Anne and Tristan haven’t returned yet. Roman wanders the house. Ellie and Gerri are in chairs out back, grabbing an apple from the bowl next to him and goes to join them.

“I just think it’s strange, but yeah, I’ll leave it alone.” Ellie said, before noticing his arrival.

“You’ve gotta let people make their own mistakes.” Roman’s face flushed, is that what he is, a mistake? Or maybe they aren't talking about it. 

“Never had to make our own, always saw the aftermath of the Roy's mistakes.” She's speaking louder now. Ellie has a glint in her eye when she turns towards him. Well they know he's here now.

“Tried to cover all the bases for you girls didn’t we, drugs, sex, kleptomania.”

“Light arson every now and again.” Gerri says more for her own amusement then anyone else.

“Shiv was a fire freak?” he asked, excited for some unexpected dirt. No way Kendall would start any fires.

“Connor.”

“Boooo.” 

Roman sits down in the grass next to Ellie's chair and pulls out his phone looking for something to do. His finger hesitates over the Outlook icon. When did he become this guy. A year ago you couldn't pay him in sex, drugs, or money to actively check is work email, now it's the first thing he does when he looks at his phone. There is a slew of recent emails, all marked urgent, another crisis appears to be rising. It's never ending with this bullshit. Someone somewhere fucked up, and it's his job to make sure that doesn't destroy the company. He tries to catch Gerri's eye, flashing his screen at her to see if she’d be willing to break the “no work” rule. Roman thinks he sees a spark in her eyes, like it’s the first thing she’s been excited about all day. There is a hesitation though, she looks over at Ellie. 

“What if we order-in tonight, no fuss. We’re all terrible cooks anyway. Why try our luck and have to starve?” 

“Works for me,” Ellie is not really paying attention, seemingly absorbed in an article on her phone. 

“You can pick something out, you’re the pickiest El.” Gerri stands up, catching Romans eye before glancing at the house. This sneaky bitch. 

Gerri doesn’t even make it to the door before she is grabbing Roman’s phone from him. Ready to assess the situation. She’s on autopilot, calm and focused in a crisis, meanwhile he's left to follow her like the lost puppy he is. His main focus is keeping up, so he doesn't notice until they stop that he is in a new part of the house, and office. Gerri's already seated behind the desk, pulling out a laptop bag, discreetly tucked away. He’ll have to ask her later if she was a boy scout, cause it seems she's always prepared.  


A dozen phone calls, one laughable attempt at a brainstorm, and a few stern reprimands later, the crisis has been downgraded to mild irritation from brewing shit-storm. Roman is laying on the floor, the result of an uninspired attempt to “change his perspective.” Gerri walks around the desk and stares down at him in all his childish glory. He'd be happy to lay there all day if he could, the lack of sleep from the night before and chaos of the day hitting him. When he looks up, he realizes she's been staring at him. The amused look on he face is casual, one he's seen before, but her posture, the way she licked her lips, it's a fucking dare. Roman turns over, pulling himself to his knees, sitting back on his heels, as if he's praying to the alter of her. Her head tilts ever so slightly as if to say, "game on." 

“Stone cold killer bitch.”

He nails the flirty tone he was going for, and in return she smirks. Jackpot. He pushes himself up to his feet, so they’re face to face. She opens her mouth as if to say something, which he’s 99.8% certain is going to be an insult. For some reason he wants to stop her. He isn't quite ready for this to be that yet. He steps forwards into her space, she’s already flush to the desk with nowhere to go. His eyes dart to her lips. This is new for him, his brain begging for this newness. The tilt of her head is all the approval he needs. He can’t remember the last time he wanted to kiss someone. He's kissed plenty of people, to get out of things, to shut people up, cause he figures it's what they want. But rarely is it that he wants to, is hungry for it, needs it. 

Of course, she’s better at this than him. Just like everything else, she has to show him the ropes, challenge him to be better. She slows him down, gets him to match her movement. Her hand is on his neck pulling him back in for more. She tastes like whiskey, his tongue finding hers. The littlest moan escapes her, reminiscent of the ones he’s heard on their calls. The sound eggs him on. He pushes into her body more, grinding his stiffened pants into her. She shifts, lifting herself onto the desk behind her. He moves into the new space, between her legs. His heart is racing. He moves a hand from her hair to her back, pulling her closer until they're touching everywhere. One of Gerri's hands is wandering across his body, down his chest, across his back. 

“Mom! Ellie! We’re back!” 

The front door shuts loudly. The moment is broken. 

_“Fuckkkkkk”_ Roman shudders as he whispers it, his head dropping to her shoulder. There's a chance he might cry. He reaches back up to Gerri’s face, leans in, but she’s not having it. 

“No.” It's quiet but clear. He returns his head to her shoulder. “Yeah.” It's gruff and resigned. 

She pushes him back, putty in her hands. She's off the desk creating space between them, already back to her natural stoicism. He's still not ready for this to be over. “That was good though. Hot. You’re so fucking wet aren’t you?” He needs something, something that proves she wants this just as badly. 

“Passable,” she brushes past him, leaving him to take care of himself. He moves behind the desk and undoes his pants, reliving every movement of her lips, her hands on his neck, his back, his ass. When he thinks of her moan he cums, emptying himself onto his hand and the desk. He’s going to have to clean up his own mess. 

When he rejoins the rest of the group, they’re gathered in the den. His dick is still sensitive. The adrenaline has yet to wear off. He can’t focus on anything anyone is saying. He wants to lay down, but that would be weird. He settles for leaning against the wall, trying to overcome the desire to collapse into a puddle. 

He doesn't know how long he's been standing there when he looks up and everyone is staring at him. “Ummm hi…” giving a pathetic little wave. 

“He doesn’t get a vote.” 

“Classic Gerri styled fascism, swell to see that trait got passed down," he says, proud of himself, but no one is listening to him at this point. 

“Dinner and board game or dinner and movie?” Ellie prompts. 

“Decisions, decisions… Dinner and I finish that bottle of whisky and skip out on the rest of it?” 

Anne seems to have already decided for the group, leaving the room in a huff and returning with a armful of games and a deck of cards. 

“If we’re playing cards, the only game I know is strip poker so…” he gave his best wolfish grin but it doesn’t seem to land flat. He looks back at the collection she's dropped on the table, seeing Scrabble is at the top. That would get him back down to earth, playing word games with a family of over educated showoffs. 

“I don’t know why you brought the rest of those out, we are playing Monopoly.” With the look on Anne's face that follows, Roman realizes he might get to see these girls kill each other. 

He hadn’t realized Gerri had left the room until she returns carrying takeaway bags. Like hungry dogs they all follow the smell of dinner into the kitchen. When the food is unpacked and plates are full, they seat themselves around the dining room table. He loses out on the seat next to Gerri, settling in across from her, but she doesn't seem to want to spend her attention on him. 

He hadn’t realized just how hungry he was until the food is in front of him. Anne and Tristan are regaling them with quite mundane stories from their travel along the coast. Roman decides Tristan’s voice is also one of his punchable attributes. If it were any other crowd, he’d tear this dickweed to pieces. 

There is a slightly lull in conversation, “How’d you guys meet?” he asks, gesturing with his fork between Tristan and Anne. He doesn't care, but maybe he does.

“Anne clerked in my dad’s office.” Tristan says with what might be considered pride. Romans’s not sure if the it is for his dad or Anne. 

“Anne was a law clerk for the US Court of Appeals.” Eleanor explains. 

“Cooool. Yeah, judges are great. Was that… fun?” Roman has nothing to add here. 

“I learned a lot.” 

“Great. That’s great. Learning is… great.” Roman looks around for some help but Gerri looks like she is going to laugh in his face. Normally that’d work for him, but right now he just feels empty. 

“Oh yeah, Rome? You like learning?” Ellie pokes. 

“Top 10 thing of my favorite things, learning. Right behind, you know, books and nature, and sport.” 

“You know, you always struck me as a big book guy.” It would seem that Ellie wants to play a game. “Hit me with your favorite book or maybe you have a favorite author you'd prefer to share.” 

This is something Shiv would do, or Tabitha, goad him into a corner they know he can't talk his way out of, just allow himself to show himself the fool. He wonders what Kendall would say, probably something lame, business or serious. Shiv would be something philosophical, something morally superior, prove her elite credentials. He doesn't have any credentials, doesn't really have anything to prove. There people know who he is, know his limits, how much he lacks. “Dr. Seuss maybe?” Anne mocks. 

“More of a Judy Blume guy. I'd say that Forever is what made me into the girl I am today.” 

That gets him a laugh, even from Anne. It feels like a small triumph, hard won. 

“You girls once made Freckle Juice, you made quite a show of it, until you threw up all over brand new carpeting.” 

Anne and Eleanor spiral into telling stories back and forth, primarily focused on their youthful stupidity. Their stories feel more wholesome, than the ones he has of his youth. These girls had healthy, playful competition, protected freedom and adventure. The world was theirs to explore and experience, the Roys were raised to conquer and punish. 

Everyone has finishes eating. Ellie collects Anne and Tristan's empty plates, but Gerri takes them from her. Tristan bring the box of Monopoly to the table. Anne and Ellie break is open, while fighting over who will be the banker. 

Roman carries his plate into the kitchen. Gerri appears to be doing the dishes, what a sight. “If the executive floor could see you now, they’d shit themselves.” He extends his hands to offer her his plate. 

“Uh Uh,” she steps aside, challenging him to do his own work for once.

He makes a performance of it, if she’s gonna make him do dishes, he is going to be an ass about it. She tosses him the drying rag. “Good boy.” His cock jumps. There must be some desperate look in his eyes, because after brief eye contact she shifts away from him, rejecting his silent plea. “Prove for once you’re not a complete waste of space.” She looks at the remaining dirty dishes. “Put your hands to use beyond pulling that embarrassment you call a cock.” 

She strolls out of the room, leaving him hard, alone, with a pile of dishes. What the fuck is happening to him. 

When he gets back to the table, he’s offered wheelbarrow, iron, shoe or hat. “The last time I played monopoly, Shiv threw the bust of some dead guy through a window, and I ended up getting sent to military school. I don’t fuck with monopoly. Plus, I’m rich, like you know, rich rich, I understand this is a waste of time and you only win by stealing from the bank.” 

Ellie gives him a big pout, “Oh rich boy scared he’s gonna lose?” 

“Don't write a check you can't catch. How about I do as the wealthy have for generations, you do all the work, I’ll be your consultant, if you win, I win.” he settles down next to her. 

It’s two grim, cut throat hours, but he and Ellie end up winning. It's a good feeling, a special feeling, which reminds him he didn't win much growing up. Ellie leans over wraps her arms around him and kisses his cheek in celebration of their triumph. 

“So where did you too meet?” Tristan asks like the dumb ass he is.

“Siobhan's 10th birthday party?” Ellie says unhelpfully. 

“I think it would have been earlier than that, you'd just not have remembered” Anne can't remember a time their lives weren't interwoven with the Roys. 

“Sorry I meant when did you start dating?” This fucking guy.

“We’re not dating. Gross no. He’s a family friend. They work together.” Ellie points between Gerri and Roman. 

"Gross? Fucking rude." he says under his breath. 

“Oh I assumed, since he was here on the family vacation, and seeing how you guys drove up together, I figured you were together.” 

“Okay so if you're not dating, why is he here?” Anne has clearly been dying to ask this all day. “No offense.”

“Some taken” 

“There was a minor work thing we had to take care of, earlier, he came up to work.” Gerri says diplomatically. 

“So you’re heading back tomorrow morning?”

“Ummm. I…” uncertain where he stands with Gerri, if he can just make the decision to stay himself. 

Ellie interrupted him, “I promised to take him out on the boat. Spent the whole car ride bragging about it. You’ll stay to go sailing right?”

He didn't want to leave. He liked being here, even if Anne was going to be a complete bitch the entire weekend. “Yeah, fucking love sailing. Me and the ocean, like a kid with his kid toys, can’t get enough of it.”

“Well if that’s settled. I think I’ll head up to bed. You guys have a lovely evening.” Gerri says, tapping the back of her now empty chair. “Good night.”

Ellie suggests another game, looks like Scrabble is actually a possibility this time. Roman decides it's best to make himself scarce, heading up to the third floor.


	4. Chapter 4

He slows as he passes her door. It’s shut. What does that mean for him. He fights the urge to press his ear to the wood, to open the door. He's never taken up her space uninvited, he always asks, knocks on the door and she allows him into her world. He shuffles himself to his room, catching a glimpse of his reflection in the bathroom mirror. It stop's him in his tracks. The desperate, sad puppy look he's wearing, the dumb clothes she dressed him in, his clearly dashed expectations of what he was getting tonight. “Fucking idiot.” Lurching forward, he purposefully faceplants onto the duvet, fighting the urge to scream into the pillows. His body is hungry for something, his mind itching for the incomplete high he achieved earlier. In a small part of him, a very small part there is shame, guilty even. He's not sure why, he hasn't done anything wrong, just followed her suggestion. It'd be more accurate to say, they followed each other. He hasn't taken anything that wasn't allowed to him, but he's left wanting more, he wants to consume her, to be subjugated by her. 

There are plenty of things he can't have, plenty of things he wants but it not allowed, his dad has made sure of it, but he can cope with those things. He can manage being the lesser brother, the lesser son. He can act out, stretch his freedom, and act on his whims in every other aspect of his life to make up for those losses. He's not sure he can do that here. All the money in the world, all the perfect women at the perfect parties and yet here he wants his Dad's lawyer, his partner, who calls him names and thinks he's worthless except maybe she doesn't. He can't have her, he's not strong enough, not smart enough, but he has his charms. His winning qualities, his ability to be controlled, she could have those things. 

The phone in his pocket vibrates, stirring him out of his pity party. Roman musters just enough energy to check it. His heart rate picks back up.

 **There is a picture of your dick on my phone?**

He didn’t think she’d find it so quickly, so much for “no phone” rule. 

**_Pleasant surprise I'm sure. You want me to come sign it? Earn you a pretty penny on Ebay._ **

**Why is there a picture of your dick on my phone?**

**_HARD to say_**

**Hardly**

He stands up, beginning to pace. Should he call her? She’s across the hall from him. Before today, he'd have dialed her number before the second text. If he went over there, would she let him in, would she touch him, would she let him touch her? Things have been escalating lately. It was short, hot, vicious calls until he went to her room at Tern Haven. Then he sort-of proposed and then sincerely proposed on his father's yacht, things have been the same, but different. He became COO and Logan was forced to resign from CEO, so they spend days together in her office, she relies on him, asks him for things, laughs at his jokes, and sometimes just outright laughs at him. The calls are more frequent, not nightly, but certainly regular. In a rare occurrence of talking about their "arrangement" outside of the "arrangement" she banned anything from happening in the office. And they have stuck to that with mostly calls and the rare hotel room dalliance. They went to Davos, and after a challenging amount of whisky and vodka in her room, she taunted him out of his pants and wrapped her hand around him. He shot off like a rocket, which made Gerri laugh. 

She calls him sometimes, it's not just him. Her voice is different those times, needier, like she started something she couldn’t finish without him. He can hear her hands moving, sometimes something else. She has a confidence about it, never pretending to have called for something else like he does. He picks up the phone and there she is, ready to play, ready for some relief. He hasn’t figured out what she gets out of it, if it turns her on to have so much control over him or just releasing the venom in her veins. Roman's sure she wouldn't be doing this with anyone else. That something special has clicked between her needs and his, that they grew into this partnership together. She kissed him today. Not just like a peck on the cheek either, all out, let’s fuck on this desk kissing. He thinks he could have done it, fucked her in the office. He could have not just done it, but wanted to, he could have lived in it. 

He’s out of his room, shutting the door behind him, standing in front of hers before he even realizes what he is doing. 

**_I’m outside._**

He waits. He can hear her phone buzz, her feet shuffling, he knows she’s at the door. When it opens, it opens wide, an invitation to come in. 

“Hi“‘ not his best, but it will have to do. 

She holds a finger up to her lips. She points to the bathroom. He bows his head and follows her directions, wondering if one day he’ll ever disobey. To his surprises, she follows him in. 

“You’re such a fucking mess.” she whispers.  
She’s within his reach but he's paralyzed. He raises his head slightly, testing if he's allowed to look at her. “What are we going to do with you? Stupid boy, can’t even stand up straight, just plays with his cock all day, worthless degenerate.” 

He’s hard now, palming himself over his pants. The pants that Gerri picked out for him, made him wear. He bet she thought of all this when she chose them. “You're a sniveling little weasel, couldn’t get any of daddys attention. Everyone’s last choice”

"Yeah" he's panting now. 

“You’re an insect, a nuisance, a squishable little bug.”

He can’t handle holding her stare. He looks down at her chest, her nipples are hard. He finds his courage to move. Roman steps forward, backing Gerri against the bathroom door. He sees a glimpse of shock, but something else. He rests his hand next to her head, supporting himself but gets further into her space.

“What else?”

Gerri’s breath catches, “You’re a disgusting pig, Roman, you’re going to be the end of us, you’re a disgrace. Can’t even get yourself off without being a fuck up.” 

And suddenly Gerri is touching him, taking over for him. Her hands are warm, but refuses to match the pace he set. Fuck her, slowing him down, controlling every part of his existence in this second. It’s too much, his head falls to her shoulder, his breath and moans on her neck. Gerri shivers and Roman see's a chance. “Fuck” he breathes against her neck, nipping at the skin, then soothing it with his tongue. 

“You’re rotten, Roman. Rotten to the core, I don’t know what I’ll to do with you. You're petulant, insufferable.” His hand slides into her pajama bottoms. If she’s surprised by his efforts, she doesn’t show it, just extends her neck, relaxes into his touch. He’s out of practice, what little practice he had, but not totally inept. She sighs, spurring him on, but she grasps him harder. He’s so close. He's stroking her clit, trying to keep up with her. “Jesus Gerri, _fuck_ ” he whispers into her neck as he is finally overcome. 

He falters for a second but keeps up his pace. Uses his hips to give him additional leverage, thrusting with his fingers. She’s shuddering, her eyes closed, breath short, "Yes." He’s all but collapsed on her to support his body. She reaches behind him and grabs a towel, wiping her hand. He pushed back from the door, testing if his legs will support him. He steals a glance at her, she's measuring him up, giving him a raised eyebrow. He turns, leaning on the sink.

Roman takes a deep breath. “This obviously works for me.” he gestures to the wet spot on the front of his pants. “But is this enough for you?” 

She looks at him, this man she has known for the entirety of his life, standing in the soiled pants, coming down off an orgasmic high, looking at her with so much hope and want and need. This man, who surprises her, challenges her, and makes her laugh, but can be so frustrating and disappointing. If anyone could see her now, her hand still sticky with his cum, hiding in a bathroom so her children don’t hear them, what would they say. She takes a breath. This isn't what she pictured she'd want for her later years. She always figured she'd be with Baird, a continued well worn existence. Yet, here she was, getting fingered by Roman in a bathroom. She looks at him, taking him all in. He's hollow, ready to give her everything, ready to take everything she can give. “Yes, Roman. It’s enough.” 

She opens the door to the bedroom, but really she's bring them back to reality. She will be sending him on his way.

He stops her before he closes the bedroom door, closing him out, “I meant it, on the boat, just give me the word, I’ll fuck off but Gerri, I am all fucking in here.”

If feels like he's begging, he's not sure for what, and she's not sure either. Not sure what either want out of this, where they are headed." 

“Good night” she quietly closes the door.

He strips and slides into bed, suddenly exhausted by the day. This morning he was hoping to catch Gerri by surprise, get her a little bothered before work and here he is, lying in her guest bed, states away, his hand still slick with her. The exhaustion sets in, pulling Roman into a deep, dreamless sleep. 

A quick rap on his door wakes Roman. “Breakfast in 10, heading to the marina in 30.” It’s Eleanor.

He stumbles into the bathroom, starting the shower. He showers, wiping away the last evidence of last night's indiscretions. Once again there is a fresh set of clothes set out for him, a pair of shorts and striped shirt on the bed. Frowning at the selection, he doesn't typically wear green. There are boat shoes, his size, positioned perfectly on the floor. No other options, he dresses like he's Gerri’s custom Ken doll. He wonders if not providing underwear was a strategy or afterthought, but it's Gerri, it must have been intentional.

Ellies at the stove flipping pancakes when he joins them downstairs. Grabbing a couple of fresh ones from the top of the pile, he reluctantly sits down next to Anne. Gerri enters but he’s avoiding her eye contact. Not sure of how he feels or how to act. If the routine holds true, they will never acknowledge their night together. His arms feel heavy. 

“Roman, how many sit ups can you do?” Ellie asks.

“A normal, but totally athletic amount.”

“Okay so not many then.”

“How many can you do? Why? Fuck off I’m eating pancakes, don’t be rude.”

"It doesn't make sense to take the dinghy out." He's not sure if Anne just likes to argue or was just born a buzzkill. 

"It doesn't make sense to come here if I don't get take the dinghy out. Do you want to take out Tiny Dancer for you and Tristan?" 

"Your boat is named Tiny Dancer?" he laughs at the thought.

"It was Dad's boat." Ellie says softly. 

"You kids have fun, I think I'll stay here or go into town."

"Mom hates the ocean," mild disgust in Ellie's voice. 

"I have not found that to be the case," forgetting his earlier misgivings, smiling at Gerri. 

"A powered, staffed yacht is a waste of everyone's time and money - should be on the Kellman family crest." 

"Kill the rich, yada yada, we get it" 

"No, just kill the nouveau riche" Anne seems pretty proud of herself. 

Eleanor is eating a dry pancake like some sort of animal. "You ready to hit the road in 10?" She asks with her mouthful.

He'd honestly prefer to hide out in the house or figure out what Gerri is up to. "Yeah." 

"Cool, meet you at the car, bring my phone charger." 

He finishes his pancakes and just leaves the plate next to the sink because fuck that. He plots upstairs to get the charger he borrowed in his room. The door to Gerri's room is open, he can't help peering in as he passes. She's on the phone, staring out the window, chewing on the end of her thumb. 

"I can assure you that's not a problem," he hears her say, totally business. "Uh huh... Okay... "

Roman wonders, if he asked, would she tell him what she's talking about. He's seen her lie with such speed and ease, never breaking a sweat over it. He's seen her dodge questions she doesn't want to answer, cutting Tom, Greg, Frank, Karl, Shiv, him, all to their knees. Never his dad, never Kendall, she's a survivor. He's never thought of it before, but she might be as diagnosable as him. 

The sound of the front door opening and closing brings him back to hand. He grabs the charger from his room and heads out to the car, leaving thoughts of his ice queen behind him.

The car ride to the marina reminds Roman of hanging out with high Kendall when they were trapped on visits to their mothers. Eleanor’s excitement borders on manic. Some people fucking love the ocean…

She shows him to a garage, “This is Charlie. She’s a 470. She’s mine.” This is this girls home, he can’t think of anything he’d have so much pride about. He wants to mock it, mock her sincerity, but the smile on her face is a little infectious. It ma pekes him wonder if Gerri was always so tightly wound up or if she used to freely smile like this. Her hair is all wavy from the salty air, sea breeze whipping it across her face, smiling her face off because she’s excited to be alive.

Ellie’s excitement quickly fades once they start working on the boat and Roman turns out to be absolutely helpless. She’s checked his knots 10 times now and he’s yet to do one properly. It’s a miracle they make it from the dock. 

Ellie offers him a windbreaker and vest, the least cool thing he’s ever seen in his life, but the wind and spray of the water is going to get to him. He also doesn’t want to die. He reluctantly puts it on. Ellie proceeds to describe to him what will happen when they tighten the sails, what to expect, how to react. She gets them out of the heavy marina traffic. All of her instruction does not in fact prepare him for any of it, because it is fucking madness. 

By the time they make it back to shore his entire body hurts, but he feels more alive then he as in ages. His arms are rubber, his abs crushed, and his legs are jello. Ellie was a little out of breathe from time to time, but mostly just happy as the summer day is long. 

He tells her he thinks he’s gonna buy a sailboat, which starts Ellie rambling for the entirety of the trip back to the house. She tells him about all the boats she’s had in her life, her dad’s insistence she pick it up when she was young, her high school and college sailing career, teaching at camps. 

When he gets out of the car his body protests. “You weren’t fucking kidding. I was not sit-ups prepared.” Eleanor makes a shadow box punch posed straight to his abs and he nearly screams. 

“So what you have a six pack then, you’re telling me that did nothing to you.” he’s mostly goading her. 

They make it into the house and she lifts up her shirt showing off a toned stomach. Where most of the women he’s with are thin, flat tummy, lean, Eleanor is strong. He reaches out to touch her abs, he knows she’s flexing and wants to test how hard they are. It’s impressive. 

“Wanna quit your job, be my live-in trainer? Jesus, this is incredible.” 

“Roman!” 

He snaps to attention, his hands dropping from Ellie. Gerri is standing on the stairs, staring at the two of them below with a scowl. 

“He’s fine. I was showing off.” Ellie says trying to resolve any pending conflict. She looks over to see Roman staring at the floor. “I’m gonna go shower.” As she bounds up the stairs she stops at her mother and whispers something to her before offering out, “Rome, any time you want to take Charlie out, I’m available.” Then she’s gone. 

He doesn’t move, Gerri has to come to him. She seems to have recovered. 

“Have fun?” her tone is still tight. 

“Yeah, I think I’m going to buy a sailboat. Ellie had many suggestions.” 

“Just what you need, more toys.” 

He lifts his head, finally looking at her. “It wasn’t…” He doesn’t know how to end that sentence. It wasn’t what it looked like? It wasn’t that he was touching her daughters body, lovingly admiring her 28 year old daughters abs in the entryway to her home. 

“She likes to show off.” 

“I’ll say.” 

“Okay that’s enough.” 

She’s smirking though, so he knows they’re okay. He can hear the shower running upstairs. They have a few moments alone. He steps a little closer and gets a warning glare, but he likes it, so he does it again. She moves, surprising him, she brings her hand to his face, brushing his hair back. It’s wet from the ocean, all askew from the wind. He tilts his head, which she accepts, leaning forward and capturing his lips. It’s less intense than before, languid. It feels like coming home. She deeps it. 

“WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? STOP” 

Breaking apart, he turns to see Anne standing in the doorway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the wonderful notes, having so much fun writing these two, hope you guys keep enjoying it!!


	5. Chapter 5

“Shit” Gerri’s hands drop from his body. She’s moving away from him, getting space between them as if that erases what she’s already seen.. 

As if on queue, Ellie comes traipsing down the stairs. She reaches the landing and the tension in the room crashes over her. “What’s going on?”

“Mom?” Anne’s voice is a little too loud, it’s all accusation and venom. 

They look to Gerri, who seems to be considering her approach, Roman’s seen that look before. He wonders if she will somehow mind-fuck them all into thinking nothing has just transpired, and they’ll all return to their regular scheduled programming. 

“Ohhhhh, yeah okay, I think I get it. You figured out they are fucking.” Eleanor says with a laugh. 

“You knew!?” To Roman’s ears, it seems that Anne is more upset about that then catching him and Gerri together. 

“Why do you think he’s here? I thought it’d be nice. I thought I was doing a nice thing.” Anne pulls a disgusted face. “So what? You don’t like her boyfriend, we don’t like yours. Get over yourself” 

Roman’s glad he only had one sister. Shiv played well with the boys, could throw insults and sling mud and fight dirty, but never had an equal to really sharpen her claws against. What a monster she could have become. He can see the steam rising, Ellie throwing fuel on the fire, trying to see how much of an explosion she could get. 

“You’re okay with this?” disgust turns to desperation, like she just realized she is all alone in this fight. “Roman Roy, evil spawn, you are fine with mom being with him, spoiled shit bird Roman Roy?”

It hurts to hear her say it. Unlike all the terrible shit Gerri has said to him over the last few months, there is nothing sexy or fun about these barbs. He knows when Gerri says them they aren’t real. It’s their game, he pushes her and she pokes him back by saying what he fears is true. Some sick, fucked form of catharsis. Hearing how terrible he is, how much of a disappointment, everything he feels about himself spoken out loud, from her is safe. She makes those things true and untrue at the same time. This is different. Anne sincerely hates him and he has no fucking clue why. 

“Enough.” it’s the sharpest he’s ever heard her. The admonishment slices through the room. Gerri has everyone at attention, no one daring to speak or move. It’s nice to see he’s not the only one terrified of her. These girls have years of aiming to please her under their belts, he’s got the last year maybe.. “We will have this conversation when everyone can behave. This little performance is evidence you are not prepared to do that right now.” With that, she walks out and up the stairs, leaving them to stare at one another. Sneaky bitch, just didn’t want to have the conversation and walked right out. 

“So I think we got off on the wrong foot...” Roman says, hoping to maybe resolve some tension or something. 

“You and your stupid fucking family, can’t stop until you take everything can you.” 

“That is exactly where we excel, we’re pretty good at gobbling up everything around us. Kind of a feature, not a flaw.” 

“He’s not taking her away. Calm down, it’s Mom, she’s just got a weird sex thing with an young doufus, we let men do it all the time, on the scale of dead husband crises, it’s not all that bad. Alexis’ mom moved to Pakistan, no one saw that coming.” It would seem, Ellie’s view of the Roy family, and the whole Roy operation, is less binary than Anne’s. 

“You think this is normal? That it’s okay? Ellie, she had to testify before Congress and say she had no part in decades of sexual assaults and murder.”

“Accidental deaths, it wasn’t necessarily murder.” Roman unhelpfully, quietly interjects.

“That’s not a lot better.” Ellie throws back. 

“You don’t ever think about what it would have been like without all of that constantly around her. People died, they’re supporting Nazis, for fuck’s sake, they called him Mo Lester, it’s all one giant black cloud of evil, and it’s hovered over our entire lives. We’re just going to watch her get worse and worse, and say well Dad died, she’s had it hard enough?” 

Roman is actually pretty surprised his family’s “values” is what she hates so much about him. It’s the most obvious, boring thing to be upset about. Everyone thinks they’re a stain on society. He figured she was angry over some childhood slight or drunken pass he made at a holiday party. He can handle people thinking he’s an asshole. He is an asshole. And maybe Gerri is an asshole, that’s okay with him. 

“Jesus Christ Anne, you are in your 30’s, did you just realize Mom is a bad person? Good lord, it’s not like she fell into the role of senior legal counsel to the world’s shittiest capitalist, she likes it. They didn’t do it to her, she chose it. And kept choosing it. That’s how it works. That’s how they work.” Ellie provides a dismissive gesture in Roman’s direction. “Mom is attracted to something about they’re grotesque sense of the world and she just taught us not to be. We can love her and think her work makes the world a worse off place. It doesn’t have to be Roman or his family’s fault.” 

“The amusement parks aren’t bad. Wholesome and all that, I’d suggest focusing on those.” Roman’s attempt to lighten the mood. 

“Dad’s dead, she’s healthy, she seems happy, what do you want to do about it? She's given her life to the firm, we can have pie at Thanksgiving and buy her earrings at Christmas and hope she’s proud of us while working to undo the terrible things she’s helped put out into the world.”

“I can still think it’s gross,” Anne says. 

“Oh it’s fucking bizarre. Like come on, Dad compared to him, it’s....” Ellie shrugs her shoulders 

“Your weird turtle perv father? I’m much cooler than him.” 

“Roman, there is no way you are going to get anyone here to agree that you are even the same species as our father, let alone in some way superior.” Here he was, thinking he had won over Ellie with his many charms and Tarzan style. 

“You said you like me! We’re friends now. I’m buying you a boat!” 

“Okay sure we can be friends, but it’s like you are my rich asshole friend who seems tragically lonely and never experienced anything real or fun his entire life, who also desperately needs someone to talk to about his feelings before he explodes.” Roman thinks that it’s not, not true. 

“Plus, to be completely honest, the main plan was to tormenting the fuck out of my mom. It’s not often you get the chance to test your mother’s ego by being hot and hitting on her boyfriend as payback for how bitchy she was in your shitty teen years. So yeah, friends but not like, please be my new step-dad friends. Our dad was fucking awesome.” 

They are all left just staring at one another or as Roman prefers, every entryway and exit he can see. He feels a little bit played and a little bit more impressed. She made a comment in the car about being more of her father’s than Gerri’s, but he’s starting to see some Gerri in her. Ellie may have a different moral certitude, but he’s under no illusion that she wouldn’t pin him in a second if he gave her reason. 

“We have a Nintendo 64 in the play room. Do you want to play Mario Kart?” Roman is shocked. There is a chance he’s going to like Anne after all. 

“Fuck yes, I’m Toad, dibs. You guys had a N64 and you made us play Monopoly. Bullshit, elitist assholes.” He follows Anne and Ellie down the hall to the game room. They settle onto ancient bean bag chairs that show a well threaded life. 

“So not to pry, but I feel compelled to inquire, if for no other reason than… planning purposes. Where’s Tristan?” Roman asks. 

“On the way back to Boston, we broke up.”

Roman leans over to Ellie, “Well look at that, we didn’t even get the chance to punch him in his stupid punchable face.” 

Ellie hushes him, “Sorry?” 

“Men are trash, what can you do…” Anne says, returning with three controllers. Anne and Ellie chose Mario and Luigi. 

They play for a while but after Anne’s 5th consecutive victory, Ellie and Roman quit in protest. 

The sun is going down, and Anne suggests they go enjoy twilight in the backyard. As they head out, she reaches for Eleanor’s hand. Ellie accepts, pushing herself into her sister's side, wrapping her arm around Anne’s waist. They sit in the grass, watching the waves as the sky begins to match the color of the sea. Roman looks over and see’s Anne is resting her head on Ellie’s shoulder. 

It was a rare thing for the Roys to embrace, especially now as adults. Their competitive nature, having been raised to seek their dad’s praise over everything, they never functioned that way for each other. He let Kendall take the fall for cruises, so did Shiv. She fought to save Tom and he fought for Gerri and when it came to it, Kendall was left standing with the bag, and they accepted it. He doesn’t think that’s how it’d go between these two. Logan made sure they were bonded, the Roy children, but in a wrong way. He was always strong enough to break through whenever the need arose. They’d never fight together, just each other. 

The intimacy of their position made him feel like an intruder. He stands, quietly retreating. 

Gerri’s at the door, staring at the distant huddled figures. She has a glass of whiskey in her hand. When he approaches she offers him a sad smile. He turns to face out with her, standing by her side. She passes him the glass, her drink to share. He looks down at the glass and swallows what's left. 

“Never took you for a coward.” 

“Oh surely you’re not that naive.” Gerri turns to him, nodding for him to hand back the glass.

“You’re trying to tell me, you Houdini-ed your way out of that fight and knew they’d magically make up, all kissy kissy on your ass? I don’t buy it.”

Empty glass in hand, Gerri walks into the house to the bar and pours a couple fingers. He follows her inside. “This isn’t my first rodeo Roman. I know how they think, I know what they’ll do, I’ve been doing this for a lot longer than you, I’ve got tricks you haven't seen.” She takes a sip and holds the glass out to him.

“Oh I think I’ve seen plenty of your tricks.” He takes a long drink, his throat burning. 

“You’re so cute when you’re wrong.” She pats his cheek. 

Roman’s neck feels hot, his breath is coming faster. Gerri sees his ears turning red, she drops her hand from his face and takes back the drink, finishing it off like he did with the last one. She tilts her head, sets the glass down, and turns to leave. He follows her upstairs but pauses at her room, waiting for an invitation. She leaves the door open, invitation delivered. He shuts the door after him. 

She is ignoring him, moving to sit in front of a dressing table, taking out her earrings. Roman sits on the bench at the foot of the bed facing her back. 

“They’re just like you,” he says softly. “The best parts of you.” 

“They’re better than me… At least, that’s always been the hope. It’s the same for your father as well,” she turns to him now, staring into his heart from across the room. “You are the best bits of him.” 

Roman blushes. He’s never been compared favorably to his father, never been seen as the heir apparent to even warrant the comparison. “Oh yeah, like my sensitivity and strong sense of self?” he says sarcastically.

“You’re a survivor, adaptable, intuitive. A rockstar.” She has a small, satisfied smile on her lips as she says it. 

“I think you’re forgetting how this works,” but his hooded eyes tell her this might be working too. “You’re supposed to call me a whining useless piglet.” 

“Come here.” she’s pointing to the spot on the floor at her feet. 

He has no choice but to do as he is told. 

“Kneel.” 

He drops to his knees. He keeps his face looking to the floor, afraid to break any rules he doesn’t yet understand.

“Look at me.” He raises his head, eyes meeting hers. She reaches out and touches his cheek. 

“You are better than all the rest.” 

He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until it’s forced out of his lungs, like her words commanded his body release. He closes his eyes and just relishes the touch of her. She runs her other hand through his hair. 

“You’re a mess, all potential and bad habits, but teachable. I could make you into anything.” 

He’d let her. Let her have all of him. He turns his face into her hand, kissing her palm. Then turns to look back at her. “Do your worst.” 

She leans down to him, capturing his lips. He leans up into her, arching his back to get better leverage. Roman deepens the kiss, invading her mouth and senses. He slides his hands up her tights, wrapping one arm around her back, pulling her towards him, the other hand in her hair. 

They pull apart briefly to catch their breath. Their sporting matching smiles. She plucks at his shirt, indication she’d like him to remove it. Just to push her, he does the same thing, plucking at hers, skin for skin. Her smile changes slightly, charmed by his challenge. He smiles back.  
Roman stands up, pulling his shirt off, standing in front of her bare chested. The smirk she returns gives him a little boost in confidence, just what he needs to push her a little further. 

“See something you like?” 

“I’ll make do with what’s at hand I guess.” 

He steps backwards, getting farther out of her reach. “Are you going to send me off to the bathroom again? I’m starting to think you have a kink.” 

“If you could be trusted not to make a scene, you’d be allowed to sit at the grown ups table from time to time.” 

He moves back towards her. With her staying seated and him standing, she has to look up to him. It makes him feel strong, in control. He cups her face with his hand, brushing his thumb over her lips. She nips at it, before closing her lips around it. Roman doesn’t think he’s ever been this hard. He doesn’t know if he’s ever wanted the things he wants at this moment. He’s certain he’s never felt this good. He pulls back and looks at her. Pulling at her shirt again, as if to ask permission. Typical for them, she just tilts her head and blinks at him. He moves to unbutton her shirt, pushing it off her body. He kneels to get a better position and while he does he pushes his pants down his hips. He’s kneeling before her, nude, hard, wanting, needing. He tests the press of a hand against the side of her breast. Gerri doesn’t stop him, so he continues, feeling, pressing, tasting. 

She sighs under his attention, getting more excited and desperate for release. She guides him to what she wants and takes everything he has to offer. He has his hands on her hips removing the last of what separates them. 

He gets her off with his mouth, before taking care of himself.They are both spent, Roman laying at her feet. She nudges him with her foot, “Up. Go clean yourself up. I’m not letting you stay if you are covered in your own filth.” 

He practically jumps up, his legs protest, having spent so much time on his knees. He stumbles into the bathroom. He rinses off in the shower. He feels good, like really, really good. Tired and sated, but mostly he feels full. When he gets back into the bedroom, Gerri is gone, but the bed is turned down on one side. He tucks himself in and drifts off to sleep, failing in his attempt to stay up for her return.


	6. Chapter 6

When he wakes up, Gerri’s gone. He thinks last night might have been a dream. But when he looks at the other side of the bed it definitely looks slept in. On any given day, the chance that he, Roman Roy, would wake up before Gerri is very slim. He stretches out, relishing in the comfort, and working his stiff muscles. Yesterday, for a series of reasons, it was a major event for his body. He gets out of bed and notices clothes are waiting for him on the bench. He pulls them on carelessly and ventures out to find the others. 

They spend the morning enjoying the good weather and each other’s company. He proves to be a terrible doubles partner, a worse assistant in the kitchen, but okay court jester. He’s even made Anne laugh in spite of herself. By 2 pm, they are packing up, getting ready to head back to the city. Roman wishes it could last a little longer, but he still helps Ellie load her bags into the car. 

“I’ve ordered you a car, it should be here shortly.” Gerri tells him when they get back inside. 

“Oh, okay… but you’re going with…” He figured they’d all ride back together. 

“I’ll ride with Eleanor, she’ll be staying the night in the city before heading back.” Her lips tighten as if to say this isn’t a negotiable decision. 

It doesn’t stop him from trying, “I could..” She cuts him off, “It’s been nice, having you here. You’ve done good. I mean this with love, fuck off.” 

With a hug from Ellie and nod from Anne, he finds himself in the back of a black SUV heading home. He’s not sure if things are different now, what all has changed and what is the same. There isn’t a knot of dread in his stomach telling him he’s fucked it all up, but he’s a little nervous, like something’s started he can’t stop. It’s the feeling he had on the boat when Logan announced him as sole CEO and he caught her eye, it’s all becoming real. 

It’s a couple hours before sunset when he makes it back to the city. His apartment is empty, somewhere between modern chic and depressingly corporate. When Tabitha moved out she took everything that was comfortable and cool. Roman has never been good at being alone. Gerri had asked about her once, after the boat but still early on. It was at the office, asking if he’d be bringing her to an event, but he thought she might be looking for something more. He told her that Tabitha dumped him, which wasn’t necessarily true. 

He turns on the TV. He turns it back off and goes to find his laptop. 

He’s in the office by 8:30. He can see across the floor that Gerri’s already at her desk. He fucks around on his computer for 20 minutes before he has a reason to check in with her. With confidence he doesn’t necessarily have, he walks into her office. She looks up at him from her computer, “What’s up?” 

“HR wants to restructure some of the independent contractor contracts, I figured you’d have thoughts on that, Anthony wanted to discuss at 3.”  
She smiles a little, all of this information should go through assistants, or emails. “Sounds fine.” She’s back to looking at her computer. He gives her a nod and walks back out. 

He makes it through the rest of the morning, fighting with Karl about the direction for park expansions. He’s walking back from Frank’s office when he sees a familiar blond ponytail pass. He follows it, arriving at Gerri’s office. “Eleanor Kellman, what a pleasant surprise.” 

She turns around, smiling wide, “Roman Roy, the devil himself.” He follows her into Gerri’s office, “Just stopping by to see mom’s new digs, grab some lunch, and then head back to the real world.” She looks around, “Old lady seems to be doing okay for herself as she looks around the room.” 

He guides her to the sofa, sitting on top of the coffee table across from her. “It’s not so bad, you know, for a hellish, evil empire, we try and at least keep the executive's comfortable.” 

“I have something to show you!” He pulls out his phone and pulls up his photo album, “I bought this bad boy last night.” He hands her his phone, flipping through the photos of his new boat. 

“Common nomenclature for a boat is female pronouns, but it’s cool to see you being so progressive. What the fuck are you going to do with a 420.” 

“I figured we could do the good ol’ divorced parents gimmick, HE will live with you in Chicago, and I will send birthday gifts, and have supervised visitation.” 

“Can I get him repainted?” 

“We’d have to ask the lawyers.” 

He hears the door opening behind him, he turns to see Gerri and Shiv coming in. They seem surprise to see him but not Eleanor. Shiv got a mischievous look on her face. 

“Shiv! You look great!” Eleanor says, standing up, handing Roman back his phone. “It’s been too long.” Roman thinks the Kellman girls were taught a sense of social etiquette the Roys never suffered through. 

“Eleanor, it’s so good to see you.” She shifts her attention to Roman, “Rome, good to see you. Will you be joining us for lunch.” 

“If I’m not mistaken he’s tied up with Frank all day?” Gerri helpfully adds. 

“Such a tragedy, it will be miserable without me. How will you all possibly survive.” He starts to move out of the office. “Ellie, I’ll text you the delivery information, but you’ll need approval from the court before you do anything to him.” 

“Shall we.” Gerri ushers them out of the office. She gives Eleanor a pointed stare.

“He bought me a boat. Well us, I guess he bought me a boat for himself.” 

Gerri just sighs. Lunch proceeds unremarkably. Eleanor only made one attempt to poke about Roman, but Gerri gave her a warning look. Shiv was her usual self, desperate to soothe her ego by undermining those around her. Eleanor plays along pretty well, polite and humble, all Gerri, no Baird. Anne got his sense of integrity and self-respect. Eleanor got her stiff upper lip, willing to play out the game. 

“So are you seeing anyone?” Shiv asks Eleanor. 

“No, I’ve been focused on school for so long, didn’t really have time for all that.” That sounds better than admitting she had an affair with a professor and had her heartbroken. 

“Oh too bad. I’m sure you will find someone. You and Roman looked cozy, I don’t remember you two being close.” Shiv digs a little deeper.

Ellie laughs, “I guess we weren’t. He was just being nice probably, get some brownie points with mom.” She smiles at Gerri, a little too proud of herself. 

“Roman, nice, that’s a first.” 

“I feel terrible ladies, but I have a couple meetings I have to prepare for this afternoon, I’m going to have to cut out shortly.” She flags the waiter subtly. 

“I should really get on the road. This was nice. We’ll have to do it again whenever I’m back in town.” 

“Do you plan on being around more, I always imagined it was a little hard on your mom, with you being out west and Anne being in Boston.”

“It keeps us sane.” Gerri says under breath.

“I could always find reasons to visit.” Eleanor smiles at her mother, making it clear her words were intended as a threat. “But I do love Chicago.” 

Gerri pushes out of her seat, they follow her lead, saying their goodbyes before they get to the door. Gerri gets back into the office, sits at her desk and dives back in. She hopes for her own sanity, that everything will get back to normal, the sad puppy dog eyes she receives from Roman in their meeting later that day, tell her they might. Or they might even be a little better. 

Within a couple days, their routine is re-established. They bicker in the office, Gerri tames his rash impulses, he pokes her until he gets a smile out of her, and at night, they have heated calls. Roman misses touching her. He misses her hand in his hair and on his arm. Not trying to push too far too fast, he asks if she’d like to share dinner with him. Suddenly a new routine is established, they share dinner, typically at a low key restaurant but sometimes, if he’s been good, they order in at her apartment. 

He’s gotten the confidence to call Kendall. They talk fairly regularly now, but the conversation is mostly talking around things. He knows more about Ken’s kids than he figured he’d ever would, he asks about Naomi, usually getting a non-answer. Kendall always follows up, asking about him. After the first couple calls, he’s stopped his sarcastic quips about drowning in pussy. He’s honest now, he’s got a good thing that works for him. 

The summer ends, his father's birthday is fast approaching. Last year was such a disaster. What a difference a year makes. They’ve been invited to the Hamptons house for a birthday lunch. Kendall is fairly certain they are being dis-inherited, maybe it will all go to Shiv, or god forbid, Connor. Gerri suspects something similar. 

Gerri refuses to come along. “This is exclusively a family matter.” 

“You are family.” 

“That’s sweet, but I’m still not going.” 

He goes alone but texts her the whole time. Kendall is on edge, Shiv is milling about trying to seem at ease, but failing. 

“We should have brought our lawyers.” Shiv says under her breath. 

“I tried, mine wouldn’t come.” Roman throws out. 

“No one signs anything, shouldn’t be a problem.” Kendall whispers back.

“Can I suggest something? What if, we all just say no, to whatever this is. Like, he doesn’t have the company any more, Kendall made sure of that. And yes the money is nice, but we all have jobs and our stock and he can’t touch our trusts. So, am I crazy or maybe, fuck em?” Roman looks for a reaction.

“Like were you guys really hoping one day to have,” he gestures to the house around them, “this. I certainly have no happy memories from here. Or the apartment. The planes, the cars, the helicopters, all that shit belongs to the company.” 

“What are you suggesting?” Shiv questions, she’s definitely intrigued but cautious. 

“You want to just cut dad out of your life? You’re running his company.” 

“Ken, it’s my company. You said you’re over it, moved on to the tech stuff. Shiv is doing her… thing, I’ll be honest, I still don’t fully understand what it is, but yeah, maybe it’s time.” Roman thinks for the first time in a very long time he is being sincere with his family. 

“I’ve felt good, really good for the last 4 months.” He says softer. “No scheming, no power moves, just fucking up shit, making decisions for myself, not looking over my shoulder. I don’t want to go back to whatever this is going to be.” He instinctively presses his tongue against the fake tooth in his mouth. “Do what you have to, but whatever this is, I’m not going to dance for him.” 

He doesn’t think he’s ever seen Kendall look proud of him before. Shiv still seems skeptical. 

They are called into the dining room, lunch is served. They chose their seats cautiously. Once they are seated, Logan and Connor join them. Everyone exchanges tight smiles and nods, uncertain what they’ve all walked into. 

Connor is the first to speak, because of course he is, “Happy Birthday Dad!” He’s raising his glass as a toast. They diligently murmur their birthday pleasantries and awkwardly cheers. Logan just gives them all a nod in acknowledgement, but he seems to be committed to silence. 

After a couple bits in silence, Shiv feels compelled to speak. “How is the family Ken?” Hoping she’s found a reasonably middle ground topic. 

“Great, Sophie’s become sort of a reading nut and Iverson went to a computer camp this summer, thinks he’s going to be a hacker.” He gets a smile when he talks about them, which is some relief. 

“How’s Tom?” he asks, unsure of the question.

“Good, he’s enjoying Shanghai a lot.” 

“Good.” 

“And Willa?” 

“Willa’s working on a book of poetry, she’s really excited about it.” 

“Can’t wait to read it.” Roman would rather suffer through a lobotomy with with a rusty screw. 

Logan is still silent. 

“I was thinking for Thanksgiving, I could host.” Connor suggests. 

“Naomi and I were planning on going to Rava for at least lunch, so we’d be able to come for drinks maybe.” Kendall says, happy to have a credible excuse.

“Tom couldn’t really schedule such a short trip back, so I was going to go to him.” Shiv says no sadness in her voice.

“I’ll be in Chicago, sorry.” His plate suddenly became very interesting.

“What? Chicago? Why?” Shiv presses. 

“I didn’t realize we were doing thanksgiving as a family this year, considering. So I agreed to do it with friends.”

“You don’t have friends.” Shiv shoots back. 

“People love me, I have all kinds of friends. I’m a friend making machine.”

“Is Tabitha from Chicago?” Connor asks. 

Roman realizes he’s made a pretty big mistake here. 

“They broke up.” Kendall being unhelpful as ever.

“Eleanor Kellman?” Shiv says, very proud of herself. “Are you having Thanksgiving with Eleanor Kellman?”

Logan seems to perk up, suddenly interested in the conversation. 

Connor is confused, “Who is Eleanor Kellman?” 

Kendall looks like he’s racking his brain, “Gerri’s daughter?”

“Gerri invited me to thanksgiving with her family, which apparently this year is in Chicago, because yes, Eleanor lives there.” Roman tries to make it sound as obvious and bland as possible. 

“Why would Gerri invite you to her family’s thanksgiving?” Shiv won’t fucking drop it. 

“Because I’m a wonderful party guest, obviously.” 

Kendall looks at him like he’s just figured something out. He flashes a smile and his eyes are bright.

“Sorry no one wants to go to your thanksgiving Con. Maybe next year?” Roman tries to steer the conversation back on track. 

They finish the meal with idle chatter between themselves. They finish and look at Logan. When it’s clear he isn’t going to speak, Connor clears his throat. “So Dad has finalized the necessary changes to the trust given, recent events.” He gets up, leaving the room momentarily. Roman looks to Kendall first, Shiv, and then his father. Connor returns with manila folders. He hands them out, but no one makes a move to open theirs. 

Roman takes a deep breath. “Well Dad, I’m sure whatever you decided is what you think is best.” He stands up, grabbing the envelope, “Happy Birthday.” He looks at Kendall and Shiv, “It was good seeing you guys.”  
He heads out, turning around when he’s in the portico looking up at the house. His phone buzzes, taking him out of his reveries, it’s Gerri. 

**How’s it going?**

**_Good, heading back now. Can I come over?_ **

**I’ll leave the doggy door open.**

He smiles. Roman considers the year he's had. He thinks of the guy he was back then, how stupid and desperate he's been, how unhappy he was. His life isn't that different now, he's faking his way through work, trying to win people over, but he hates himself a little less everyday. No matter what's in that envelope, he’ll be okay, he’s a Kellman now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End.   
> Thank you for giving it a chance! I had a ton of fun writing it, your encouragements meant a lot!!   
> It ended up sappier than Succession should ever be, but it feels like it will be forever until Gerri and Roman will be back on our TVs again and that makes me a little maudlin.

**Author's Note:**

> First fic ever!


End file.
